Thanksgiving Countdown

Imagine relaxing on Thanksgiving, instead of stressing out with last-minute kitchen chaos. Think it's not possible? Think again. Susan Westmoreland, from the GH test kitchens, makes it possible by dividing out all the to-do's over eleven days, from planning the menu to serving it.

The History Behind Those Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloons

Interestingly, a Good Housekeeping illustrator played a part.

Before the turkey-eating and football-watching glory of Thanksgiving day commences, one thing is for certain. Thousands of families across the country will start their holiday by bundling up and heading out to the streets of New York City or turning on the television to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

And while many know the event has been an American tradition since 1924, some probably don't realize that there's a Good Housekeeping artist to thank for creating those iconic balloons that seem to get bigger and better every year.

As the video above reveals, German American illustrator Tony Starg tapped his passion of puppetry to come up with the design for those over-the-top balloons. Granted, there were no larger-than-life Snoopy or Mickey Mouse characters involved in that time, but Starg did manage to make an impression that still lasts today.

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